Tackling Call Center Turnover
Tutorial Series

Module 3 - Reducing call center agent turnover rate

The Call Center Learning Center is proud to present a tutorial series focused on understanding and overcoming agent turnover. This three-part tutorial series will pull from Prosci's research-based toolkits and best practices reports.  Module 1 addressed how to determine what to measure in your center.  Module 2 discussed methods of measuring turnover in your call center.  This module will focus on how to improve your center's turnover rate.
 

Reducing agent turnover

High turnover is a major problem for many call centers and challenges management to identify causes of attrition.  It is important to know the exact reasons why agents leave in order to:

• Identify controllable reasons why agents leave (and focus attention on reducing the causes of these departures)
• Learn what you can do to motivate and inspire your agents to ultimately increase agent retention

Some reasons for agent turnover are beyond the control of management.  These departures will occur regardless of how attractive management makes it for agents to stay.  Non-controllable turnover include:

• Retirements
• Promotions
• Transfers to other departments within the company
• Illness

Call centers are investing record amounts of money and time in incentives specifically aimed at motivating and retaining their agents.  This is a predictable response, given that the baseline turnover rate of 20% to 40% is considered an industry norm.  Yet, Prosci research has shown the most effective way to address controllable turnover is to find the root causes of why agents are leaving your call center and determine what you can do to change or improve those causes.  The Threshold Model was developed by Prosci to do just that.

Addressing controllable turnover

Prosci's Threshold Model illustrates what you should do first to motivate and inspire agents, which eventually leads to increased agent retention.  The Threshold Model is based on research with hundreds of call center agents, managers and supervisors about agent motivation and retention. 

The Threshold Model divides all job factors into two areas as shown in Figure 1:  required job factors and basic satisfiers on bottom, and desired job factors and specific motivators on top.
 

Figure 1 - Prosci's Threshold Model

What are required job factors and basic satisfiers?

Required job factors (also known as basic satisfiers) are shown below the threshold line in Figure 1.  A satisfier is simply any basic, generic, company-wide job factor which is provided to everyone, such as a paycheck or a safe work environment.  While these items may meet some standard requirement for an agent to do his or her job properly and efficiently, they do not necessarily motivate the agent to do a better job than he or she is already doing. 

However, if any of these things is missing, eliminated or allowed to erode, they can become de-motivators and sources of controllable turnover.  If your workplace has many de-motivators, such as broken chairs, frequent equipment downtimes, or lower-than-average pay for your community, you may be facing fundamental problems that need to be addressed before you try to decrease agent turnover in other ways.  This is critical in creating a low turnover workplace. 

Required job factors and basic satisfiers include, starting at the base of the model:

• Personal aspiration or ambition
  This job factor refers to the degree to which employees align their personal expectations and career aspirations with their current job.  This alignment could be influenced by many factors, including age, immediate financial needs, or things they are doing outside the job, such as going to school.  Every agent's personal aspirations will influence their decision to continue working in the call center regardless of other aspects of the job as reflected in the Threshold Model.
   
• Competitive pay and benefits
  This job factor refers to the pay scales for each job position based on the location, type of call center and type of work performed, as well as benefits which may include medical plans, vacation time, flex-time and child care.
   
• Physical environment and facilities
  This refers to a safe and healthy environment, adequate lighting, comfortable temperature, adequate break room and lunch room facilities, sanitary restrooms and ample, safe and well-lit parking.
   
• Tools, equipment and workstation
  This includes the overall desktop and equipment provided to agents, including ergonomic seating and desks or work areas, computer equipment, telephones and headsets, and other hardware and software used to properly perform the job.
   
• Basic knowledge
  This refers to agent knowledge about the job they are performing, the mission and goals of the company, adequate skills training for the position, call center communication and notices of upcoming product changes or new offerings, explicit metrics, general expectations of their role in the call center and a clearly defined evaluation process with timelines.

What are desired job factors and specific motivators?

Desired job factors (also known as specific motivators) are shown above the threshold line in Figure 1.  A motivator appeals to a person's ability to achieve and experience growth.  In other words, most people have an instinctive desire to achieve goals and grow as human beings.  And what truly motivates them to grow and achieve must address their desires individually. 

What we have learned from agents is that a genuine motivator is something that they personally value.  It is not generic; it is specific.  Even if it is presented in the form of a company-wide program, if it holds value for the agent, it will serve as a motivator to that agent for greater performance.  Motivators must be specific.  They work because they are relevant - they are actually valued and desired by the agents, whether individually or as a group.

It is important to note that satisfiers must be addressed before motivators.  Required job factors are more urgent than desired job factors.  If basic satisfiers are absent in the workplace, they become serious de-motivators.  This is why we refer to them as required job factors.  Call centers often overlook their responsibility to invest in basic on-the-job necessities for their agents, and this is often a common source of controllable turnover.

Desired job factors and specific motivators include, starting just above the threshold line:

• Culture and teams
  Prosci research shows that being part of a team helps agents work harder with their team members toward a mutual goal.  Call center managers and supervisors who encourage their agents' participation and involvement in various company and extra-curricular activities (such as team competitions, volunteer events in the community, etc.) inspire attitudes of mutual caring and responsibility among their agents.
   
• Leadership style and supervisor-agent interaction
  Call center agents respect managers and supervisors who are great coaches.  More specifically, they respect managers who are approachable, friendly, positive, knowledgeable, helpful and professional, among other traits.
   
• Incentives and rewards
  For agents, this means tangible but relevant incentives.  Agents revealed in our research that the most motivating incentives are geared to their own preferences, and recognize them as individuals.  They prefer gestures that are personal, specific and relevant.
   
• Career advancement and growth
  This refers to opportunities for advancement and promotion, increased skills training, cross-training and job rotation, tuition reimbursement programs and other opportunities for growth.

What is the threshold line?

The line that divides the desired job factors from the required job factors in Figure 1 is called the threshold.  A threshold is a limit.  Beyond a threshold, things change.  Below the line are requirements that must be met or they can become de-motivators.  However, after the basic requirements are met below the line, doing more in this area does not necessarily increase motivation or productivity.  Above the line are job requirements that have a unique attribute.  The more you do to improve these job factors, the more likely agents will stay in your call center. 

Applying the Threshold Model

Prosci's Threshold Model illustrates that while there are several factors that add to a person's level of competence and comfort on the job, these factors are distinct and meet different needs.  Some of these needs are fairly basic and essential, such as having a safe place to work with properly-functioning equipment, as well as clear directions on how to do the job.  These needs are reflected in the bottom half of the model and should be addressed first.

Other needs are less concrete, but just as vital:  a sense that they are working toward a goal; a sense of belonging; and a sense that our efforts and contributions are valued.  We all want what we do to count.  We also want to learn and grow.  These needs are universal and apply to most aspects of our lives, and they don't diminish when we go to work.  For most of us, the arena to express and meet these needs is our jobs.

Prosci's Threshold Model provides the foundation for creating a strategy to decrease turnover in your call center.  The Motivating Call Center Agents Toolkit focuses on using the Threshold Model in a systematic improvement process for your center.  Just as the culture in your call center is established over time, creating a high-retention call center is also a process.  The toolkit helps you through the Motivation Process Roadmap, which provides the steps and activities that you can implement to create a truly motivating, productive and low-turnover workplace.  It also includes assessments and surveys to help you determine the areas with greatest need for attention and improvement.